


Our dawn is hotter than day (our night is in between)

by charons_boat



Series: Curses Upon the Innocent [8]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Abandonment, Amphiptere!Minghao, Amphiptere!The8, Betrayal, Blood, Body Exploration, Bonding, Bratty Minghao, Caretaking, China, Choking, Collars, Confusion, Contemplation, Curses, Dracons, Emotional Instability, Fighting, Finding, First Kisses, Foolishness, FoxSpirit!Joshua, Gifts, Growing, Healing, Hide and Seek, Hiding, HuliJing!Joshua, Hybrid!Joshua, Hybrid!Minghao, Hybrid!The8, I'd've is used and you can fight me about it, It's chilly, Jiuwei hu, Josh has long nails, Josh is sparkly, Josh needs clothes, Jun amber eyes, Jun gets injured, LMAO, Laughter, Lots of Crying, M/M, Moving In Together, Murder, Name giving, Near Death Experiences, Pain, Paralyzation, Paralyzed, Pep Talk, Playing Games, Poaching, Recovery, Rule Breaking, Scars, Searching, Self Defence, Separation, Shifting Forms, Sparkles, Torture, Tracking, Waiting, Witch Hunting, Witch!Junhui - Freeform, aka jun on a white horse, bestest bois, but by who??, but for someone who'll help fix the collar issue, calling hao beautiful, cause Josh is cute and thinks hao is also cute, changing emotions, changing jewelry into other types of jewelry, courtesy of hao, cursing, cute bois laughing together, cute cottage, demon magic loan, emotion scents, emotions are just energy, energy, hao actually has a last name, hao blue eyes, he's such a cute boi, i admit to nothing, illegal cursing, illegal hunting, instability, jewelry conversion, just in case anyone gets the wrong idea -_-, knight in shining armor, lots of anger, lots of little crystals, maybe I stretched the appearance of a huli jing, metal collars, mythical minghao and Joshua, nasty net, new name, non-sexual body exploration, oh so Josh has a last name too, oh yea Josh is naked but hao is angry so it doesn't matter, petting, pre-coven years, reader education, reassurance, secretive, shua grey-blue eyes, smol hao, soft bois, sparkly mist, sparkly smoke, suffocating, supportive bois, venom - Freeform, very far in the past, very soft in the end, you can thank fear for that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:40:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23633986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charons_boat/pseuds/charons_boat
Summary: It wouldn't have been much of an issue that Minghao couldn't control himself if he hadn't had the collar clasped too tight around his neck.
Relationships: Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8, Xu Ming Hao | The8/Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Xu Ming Hao | The8/Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Wen Jun Hui | Jun
Series: Curses Upon the Innocent [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1542079
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	1. escape everything into the wild

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!! I'll be making sure to tag this fic as well as I can!! Please read the tags when they show up
> 
> That said, people are choked to death in this chapter but they deserve it

The life of an amphiptere was usually an easy one, though secretive. Amphipteres are one of the smallest members of the dracon family. On average, we are barely the length of a man's body. We have two wings, our wingspan twice that of our body, and no legs. Sometimes we have feathers, though we always have small scales covering our bodies, excepting our wings. Our wings, merely stretches of skin between long, thin bones, would be hindered by scales, so we don't have them. Our heads are small, like those of tame snakes. 

Amphipteres don't have much in the way of natural protection, which is why we must live in the shadows. We have weak poison in our fangs that paralyze for an hour max, and we can wrap our bodies around our prey like boas. We most commonly come in darker colors, though those of us born bright are exceptionally beautiful. Those individuals don't often make it very long.

If one good thing has come from centuries of being hunted because we are such easy prey, it is that we have become exceptionally adept at hiding. Those who are not smart enough to learn disappear in the night, and we live on to teach the younger how to escape dragon hunters and witches looking to get off easy. 

I am not proud to say I was one of the foolish sort who thought I could outsmart those we tried to avoid. I was young, not even full-grown at two and a half decades of life, when I ventured into the open fields outside our forest. It was what they were waiting for, and I hadn't flown three meters when a net was thrown over me. I squeaked in surprise and flailed under the heavy metal net. It wrapped around me and dragged me down, the thin metal wires drew tighter and tighter as I continued to struggle. They began to cut through the small scales lining my back, down into my skin. I bled from razor thin cuts on my skin and my wings, and both were equally disturbing. I'd never had anything cut into the skin beneath my scales, and the feeling of something in places there had never been things before stilled me. 

Men surrounded me. Something I'd only ever smelled in passing permeated the air around me as they did. It was the smell of magic, thick and heady and terribly bitter. I closed my eyes at the smell, and panicked when one of them picked me up; the net tightened again. I cried out as they cut into the scales over my closed eyelids. The men laughed and started walking, the one man carrying me with a hand wrapped around my body just below my wings, which were pinned uncomfortably to my sides. I was miserable as I let them take me where they would, my eyes shut to the world as the tail-end of my body dragged the ground. I'd've been crying if I could. 

Eventually, they stopped and dropped me to the ground. I landed awkwardly, with one wing twisted half under me and the other covering my head. Despite that, I let myself lay there like that rather than let them get the satisfaction of hearing and seeing me struggle and hurt myself. They pulled the net off me and clapped a small metal collar around my neck, barely big enough to keep from choking me. I opened my eyes and struggled into a more comfortable position on my stomach, stretching my wings out before pulling them close to my body again. Everything ached as I pulled part of the upper half of my body up off the ground and glanced at the men around me, my blue eyes sparkling with a mixture of curiosity and pain.

They were pointing at me and laughing. I wondered what the damage to my scales and wings looked like. Were they cut clean through, or were they a little jagged. I knew they'd been painted red by the blood seeping up and out from the thin lacerations. I figured that my obsidian dark scales were scuffed in places the net had dragged before being pulled into a single spot. What could they see in my eyes, I wondered as blood colored my vision red before I blinked it away. Would they see my pain and mistake it as fear? Would they recognize the curiosity or would they mistake it for scorn?

I had no more time for pondering as one of the men lifted their left hand, palm facing me. There was a cruel smile on his face as he began to speak, and I squirmed in my spot as I felt something surrounding me. It felt wild and uncertain, and as the man continued to speak, it got even more chaotic, always drawing closer. It started to sink through the cracks in my scales and I tried to bolt, unfolding my wings and attempting to fly away from this terrible, foreign feeling. I didn't want it, didn't need it, couldn't get away from it fast enough. 

And then I reached the end of the chain, and the one holding the other end yanked back just as I did, and I choked and fell back to the earth. The cloud of unstable energy continued to burrow under my skin, and I started shaking. It wasn't much at first, just a little trembling in my extremities, but it soon became more as the man's chanting went on. It went from barely noticeable to something you couldn't ignore if you tried. I closed my eyes and whimpered as I lay on the ground, shaking like a sapling in the winds of a storm. 

I kept shaking even after the man stopped talking, and they were laughing again. The one who'd done the speaking walked closer to me, tried to pick me up, and I snapped my eyes open and lunged at him faster than anyone could react. I unloaded my venom into him and wrapped my throbbing, shaking body around his neck. I pulled as tight as I could and hissed at the other men. He scrambled to get me off of him for a few seconds before he lost control of his body and fell to the ground. I let him go and flew at the man holding the other end of the chain. He tried to push me away from his face and in the process let go of the chain. I bit his hand and attacked the third man, who was wide-eyed and frozen in shock. Easy to bite. I left the other two lying on the ground, unable to move, and bit the first man again before wrapping tightly around his neck until I could no longer feel his heartbeat. 

I flew off, following the scent I knew to be that of home. I was unsteady as I flew, shaking and dropping before barely recovering as I went. Just before I reached the forest, my wings gave out. Just out of nowhere stopped working, and I fell to the ground. I slithered the last stretch into the undergrowth, wanting nothing more than to return home. 

But before I could get anywhere near there, the other amphipteres dive bombed me and drove me away. They shouted at me as they did, telling me I was tainted and that I was no longer welcome. They couldn't afford to have me endangering them, so they forced me away. And I let them, because it made sense. I was only going to bring harm to them. I was young and stupid, and if I'd done this, then how could I guarantee it wouldn't happen again. I was dead weight now. I could barely control myself, and though I was unsure what the witch had done to me, I knew it was something bad. I couldn't stop shaking, even when I was still in one spot. 

So I left, went as far away from the witches and the forest as I could before lunging up into a tree above me. I curled up at the junction of trunk and branch and fell asleep, exhausted and aching, a subtle shake still present even as I fell unconscious.


	2. the blowing breeze lets me go to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The worst part of being unable to control himself was that it would've been easier without the collar; it was just that no one would help them get it off, so it was in truth much worse than it'd have been otherwise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my birthday today, and I wanted to use today as a way to give everyone gifts so you can be as happy and excited as me!! I'll be posting the first three parts of two other stories, tho two of each three are something like character introductions. I hope you enjoy!!
> 
> Please be advised that there are mentions of being unable to breathe and many near death experiences!!

When I woke up, I was no longer shaking. I was, however, very irritated, though at what I couldn't begin to explain. It was as if everything was existing merely for the purpose of ticking me off, and it was working very well. I hissed at everything that moved as I took to the sky, and I bit quite a large number of birds that flew a little too close for my liking. I flew for hours, unsure of where I was going but certain it was mostly away from anywhere remotely near my old home.

And when I stopped, suddenly aware of how hungry I was, I felt warm and fuzzy and I was simply very happy that the world was no longer annoying me. I was ecstatic when I killed a rabbit, as if it were my first successful hunt. The overwhelming warmth was such that I could feel nothing but content and happy with the world. And in the back of my mind I was thinking along the lines of, _isn't it wrong to feel like this after what's just happened to me?_ But I pushed it away, because it was too nice to feel this way and I didn't fully understand what had happened yesterday anyways.

That's how the next year continued, with my flights over the countryside being interrupted by snack breaks, my emotions fluctuating wildly. Sometimes I'd shake, while other times I was tremor-free. There would be times when I was unable to move, and others when I would become overwhelmed by fatigue and almost pass out mid flight. I had been able to avoid humans for the entire year, until I woke up at the edge of a village as a small child.

They saw me before I could even realize I'd somehow become one of them, and they ushered me into a tub full of water and washed me, put pieces of fabric over my head, over arms and legs I'd never had before, over the tail and wings I still did. They showed me my reflection in a black dish full of water, and I was surprised by what I saw. My hair was black, and my eyes were a pale, thick blue. I had scars criss-crossing over my skin, cuts straight across my eyelids. There were tiny black scales peppered across the bridge of my nose and over my cheekbones, a few littered over the tops of my eyelids. The little scales were also visible on my shoulders, as well as around my wings and tail. The villagers told me about the scales there.

My wings and tail looked just the same as they did before I became this, though they were smaller than they had been. They talked to me about the village, asked where I was from and what I was doing here. I told them I was from far away and that I was here because I'd been running from a place that was no longer home for me. When I asked what was happening, they stared at me quizzically. I clarified, asked what had happened to me, and their faces filled with sorrow. They explained that I must have been cursed by a witch, though they didn't know what I'd been cursed with. They told me I was in a country called China, and asked for my name. I said it was Xu Minghao, and they told me I could stay there for as long as I need.

When I told them that I should leave, they asked why. I told them I was dangerous, that I was only going to bring harm to them. They told me it was nonsense and pondered over how to get the metal collar off my neck. It had carried over somehow, gotten bigger to accommodate a child's neck. Would it continue growing bigger as I did, I thought, or would it start to choke me as I became too large for it? When I put the question to the villagers, they assured me they would get it off before that became an issue.

So for the next year, I stayed in the village and just lived, my only worry that of the metal collar and chain attached to my neck. It didn't grow with me, and I grew faster than they expected. By the end of the first year in the village, it was very tight, and I had a lot of trouble breathing properly. They decided they needed the help of a witch, and asked if it would be okay with me. They knew of my aversion to magic since it had sent me into chaos. They waited to ask until I was in a good mood and asked it quickly. I told them I'd only accept it if they knew the witch they asked for help was a good person, someone who wouldn't try to hurt me or curse me. They agreed and set out on their mission.

In the month that followed, they searched vigorously, trying to find someone who'd help. Many refused, and the villagers would come back more and more despondent. The collar grew tighter, slowly, painfully, mercilessly. My emotions swung back and forth between good and bad more quickly, and it became hard to find me in the same disposition from hour to hour. It saddened the villagers, who only wanted the best for me and were constantly telling me I didn't deserve this. It scared them when I started being unable to control my body more and more often. They'd rub my back and lean me against trees while I tried to focus on one thing, to keep me grounded. It never really worked.

We stopped believing we'd find someone willing to help, let alone someone who wouldn't take advantage of us. I had to shift into my amphiptere form and hope I wouldn't die of the suffocation my other form was experiencing. The worst times were those when I'd be unable to control what form I was in. Oftentimes I'd wake up unable to breathe, barely able to cry out, and I'd pull at the collar in a useless effort to get more air. Everytime that happened, I was simply stalling for time until I could shift back, trying endlessly until blessed relief finally came.

And then, months after we'd stopped looking for help, certain it would never come, a stranger rode in on a white stallion. His hair was a light chestnut, and his eyes were bright amber. He smelled of magic, but it wasn't so bitter as the first time I'd smelled it. Mixed in with the tang of magic was the scent of mint. It was refreshing, something I didn't smell often.

He dismounted in the square, where a crowd had gathered around the well to get a look at the man. I was wrapped around the arm of an old woman whose company I particularly enjoyed. His eyes scanned the crowd and the wind blew suddenly, crashing the scent of him into my nose. And it set me off. Made me angry, paralyzed me. I fell to the ground and lay there, unexplained rage simmering beneath my skin. And then I shifted without meaning or wanting to, and I wasn't angry or paralyzed. I was terrified. I pulled at the collar and tried to breathe, my lungs aching as they continued to fail in their task of bringing in air. Tears started to fall down my cheeks and dots covered my vision. My fingers grew clumsy, and my hearing faded out. The sounds of panicking and frantic explanation disappeared, and my hands stilled. I coughed, expelling more air as I tried to clear my throat of the metal constricting it.

I wondered why I hadn't shifted back yet. I was usually an amphiptere again by now. Why was this time any different? There was barely any sensation left. The taste of my salty tears had faded away. My sight was fuzzy with black and red dots. I heard nothing, and my body was little more than a faint prickling at the edge of my rapidly receding consciousness. The only thing I knew clearly was that the scent of bitter mint surrounding me was soothing.

Suddenly, a hand was pounding on my back, and I gasped. I took air into my lungs, and it _hurt_. I coughed, and cried, and kept breathing. Sensations flooded back with the rush of blood, and I could feel air on my neck. It felt strange and wrong, but so good. I kept my eyes squeezed shut and just focused on the flow of air into and out of my lungs. At some point, I'd had my fill of simply breathing, and struggled to sit up. I felt hands helping me up, supporting me as I rubbed my neck. The skin was tender, and I could feel the raised scabs in places that had been cut into by the metal collar.

I just sat for a while, listening to the villagers around me thanking the man who smelled of magic. I felt little air currents blowing across my skin along with the dried tracks of tears lining my face. The witch was still close to me, was maybe one of the hands holding me up. I leaned towards the smell of the man and sighed, wanting nothing more than to just fall asleep. He spoke, and his voice was calm and smooth, and it soothed me further.

"Hey, open your eyes," he murmured softly. He sounded worried. "You can't fall asleep. Not right now, I've gotta make sure you're okay first. You can go to sleep after that, okay? Let me see those eyes, come on. Please?"

And I opened my eyes for him, stared up at him with baby blues full of tears. He was staring down at me, probably at the scars on my face and the little scales; they were things everyone mentioned the first time they saw me. I blinked and looked away from him, down at the ground instead. I saw the shattered pieces of the metal collar, and I became very happy. I put my hand back to my throat and started crying again, of joy this time. I whipped my head around and stared the man straight in his pretty yellow eyes, smiling wider than I ever had before. He smiled back and gave me a hug.

At the time, I was the equivalent of nearly 12, and he was slightly over fifty years old. Both of us so young still. We took to each other like ducks to water.


	3. we keep burning, swallowing up smiles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Junhui was kind. Too kind for his own good; in fact, he was so kind he'd risk his life to save a huli jing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't remember naming this chapter
> 
> Mentions of blood, grievous injury, and poor healthcare
> 
> Also: JOSHUA HONG

I stayed in the village for the next eight and a half months as I grew more. Wen Junhui was his name, and he lived about two days travel away. He had to go back to his house a few weeks after he got the collar off of me, but he promised he'd come back as often as he could. Because as much as he wanted to stay, he told me, he had to make money somehow and he wasn't willing to live off the villagers' resources. And anyways, how was he supposed to get his house sorted out for his new friend if he didn't go back? When I got upset about it, he called me silly and told me he was talking about me, and that I could go to live with him if I wanted to. I wasn't sure at first, but after the third week-long visit in as many months, I knew that I never wanted to be away from him.

Everytime he came back, he brought something with him. Gifts for me, he said, things he'd found and thought I'd like. I didn't like the first one so much, but the better we got to know each other, the better he became at finding gifts for me.

I had an aversion to things wrapping around my neck closely, which Junhui said was understandable after everything I went through, but loose chain necklaces were okay. I had a few of those, with crystals of many colors hanging from them. I had a few bracelets and anklets, mostly soft leather and short chains with more little crystals. I didn't like wearing earrings, but I enjoyed collecting the pretty pairs he brought me. The villagers made rings out of some, bracelets and necklaces out of others.

He was due to visit again soon. It had been a few weeks since his last visit, and he'd promised that he wouldn't be gone more than three and a half weeks. It was drawing close to the three week mark, it was only tomorrow, and it was getting too close for my liking. I spent most of my days sitting on the stone merlons of the church, watching as much of the land as I could. The first time I did it, the villagers scolded me and told me to come down. As I continued to do it, they realized that it made me feel better and I was pretty safe up there. I did make sure to always tie a rope around my waist and the merlon I was sitting on, just in case I had an attack and couldn't stop myself.

It was on a beautiful day, cloudless and warm and just a little breezy, that I was sitting up on the merlons again, staring out over the browning countryside. And in the distance, I saw a small white blur. I jolted from the half-trance I'd been in, opening my eyes as wide as I could as I stared at it. The bright white splotch was moving closer, very fast. The wind blew, and there was the faintest trace of a scent I'd recognize anywhere. I pushed off the side of the old stone church and shifted midair, flying towards him quickly. It was only when I was closer that I remembered his horse didn't like it when I was an amphiptere, so I settled for circling over them as they rode.

It was as I followed that I realized he smelled coppery. I flicked my tongue out and shook my head at the scent. It was bitter and coppery at once, and it smelled like despair and pain. I peered down at him, paying more attention to him than to where I was going. He had a hand pressed to his side, and there was a dark stain in the white shirt. His tan pants were stained too, a violent crimson. He was hurt. He had magic though, surely he could heal himself. Why was he going to the village?

I wanted desperately to land in front of him and carry him back to the village, but I wasn't near strong enough for that. We'd tried before, and failed miserably. It had ended in hysterical giggles before I was hit with a fit of sadness and he went from happy to concerned. I'd been so happy when he comforted me at that time, that he understood and wanted to help. Now, he was hurting and I couldn't help as he helped me. I hated myself for that.

When he was a few meters from the outskirts of the village, people started noticing him. They came out and greeted him happily, until they noticed me circling overhead and they looked closer. I couldn't shift back, no matter how hard I tried, so I growled, angry at myself, and wrapped around the arms of a young man. He tried to stay close as the village herded Junhui off his horse and towards the physician's house, for my benefit I imagined.

They wouldn't let me in, had the man I was wrapped around carefully explain that Junhui couldn't see me until the physician said he was well enough. That hadn't happened yet, so I sat outside once I finally managed to shift, slow and laborious and painful. I sat as near the window as I could, trying to focus more on the minty scent than the bloody one. Many of the villagers told me to go to sleep, to eat some food, to do something besides worrying over him. I couldn't though; it felt like abandoning him, and even if he couldn't see me, even if he had no idea I was beneath his window, I wanted to support him. Sitting here, waiting for him, was all I could do in that respect.

I sat there for weeks, sleeping only when I could no longer force my eyes open, eating only because the villagers wouldn't leave until I'd cleaned the plates they brought. My hair grew much too long, long enough that Junhui would've cut it by now. He liked cutting my hair for me, and I just liked it when he played with my hair so I let him. It hung in my eyes and was almost to the bottom of my neck, shaggy and unruly because it had been so windy lately, but straight.

And then the window opened and I jolted awake, having nodded off, tilting my head back and staring up at the face peering down at me. Junhui's hair was longer too, though not as long as mine since his didn't grow quite as fast as mine. I scrambled up from the wall and stared at him from a few feet away, trying to gauge whether he was okay. His gaze followed me as I moved, while I looked over his indoors-pale skin. I saw nothing out of the ordinary other than that, and the slight dimness of his amber eyes. He took in all the jewelry on my arms and legs and neck, like he always did, and he smiled.

"You've let your hair get too long again, Ming-ah," he chided softly. Tears filled my eyes and I launched myself at him, hugging him tightly while trying not to drag him down from the windowsill. He took my arms from around his neck, chuckling softly, and moved so he was sitting on the edge of the window. He jumped down and gave me a proper hug after he recovered from his slight stumble.

"You scared me," I started sobbing into his shoulder as I said this, and he stroked my wings and back in a soothing manner. I kept crying. "They wouldn't let me see you because you weren't well enough, but I saw you. You were hurt, and I followed you into the village, and I wanted to change back but I couldn't, and then they said I couldn't come see you so I sat beneath the window and waited. You can't just go getting yourself hurt like that, Junhui! You'll make me worry to death! Is that what you want, to make me worry for you until I just drop dead?"

He ran a hand through my hair, tilting my face up to look at him. He had a fond smile on his face. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and I sighed, still crying, though not as hard as before.

"I'm sorry, Hao, I didn't mean to scare you. I got hurt and I'd have killed myself I tried healing myself with magic. This was the closest place I knew I'd get help, so I rode in hoping I'd make it before it was too late. I made it though, Hao, I got here fast enough and your village helped me," he softly. It was somehow reassuring, knowing that he trusted in the village so much. "You know, I could feel you sitting there the entire time. I told the village that they should convince you to go get some rest and stop worrying, cause I was gonna be just fine, but they kept coming back and telling me that you wouldn't listen."

"I wouldn't have left even if they told me you wanted me to," I said with a pout. "I couldn't visit you, so I had to be there for you somehow." He smiled and pulled me closer, hugging me tighter with one hand rubbing circles on the small of my back and the other cradling the back of my head.

"Thank you for that. It was nice to feel you there while I was healing," he admitted. I smiled and nodded as well as I could, happy that I'd been able to make him feel better. I had a thought and frowned, pulling back.

"What hurt you so bad, though," I asked quietly. I was scared of the answer. He sighed and his arms loosened as he shifted his gaze away, staring off into the distance. It felt like he was no longer part of our time as he stared towards the trees.

"There's a hybrid out there. He's very scared, and in a lot of pain. His curse is a very cruel one, like yours, and he's scared of the things he's done. He can't stop though. He can't stop himself, and that scares him too. I met him, and though he never showed me his human, I know what he is. He's older than you, but he's more scared than you ever were. You've learned how to deal with your curse, Minghao, but this hybrid… he's had no one to help him. He doesn't know how to live without pain, and he takes it out on others," Junhui said, his voice distant and detached, though sad as well.

"How did you end up around him? It sounds dangerous," I said quietly. He nodded twice before letting his arms drop and putting his hands in his pockets. He stared at the ground in front of his feet before sighed heavily.

"I'd heard rumors, but I wasn't sure if they were true. And if they were, well- I wanted to help him, Minghao. I went there on my own, even though I knew it was a bad idea, though I knew I could be hurt. I've never really been one to put my own health above another's. I didn't expect it to be as bad as people said. People exaggerate afterall, quite often. He caught me off guard," Junhui said quietly, sounding faintly ashamed. I knew I could very well get angry at him for going in a dangerous situation and not taking it as seriously as he should have. I didn't want to fight though, not when this was the first time I'd seen him in weeks.

"What is he, Junhui," I asked. He bit his lip.

"He's a hybrid, like you. He's scared, and he's had no one with him. He's been alone and no one has offered him help. The only people he's seen are the ones who cursed him and the ones who tried to get rid of him once he became a problem. He's just a scared boy like you. He's not very old," the brunet answered, talking around the question. I grabbed his arm and forced him to look me in the eyes.

" _Junhui_ , what _is_ he," I demanded, more firmly this time. He sucked in a deep breath and shook his head. I tugged on his arm.

"Minghao, please don't make me say it. You won't like it, not at all," he said, begging pitifully. I just stared, pleading. I had to know what had hurt him so badly I was kept from him for weeks.

"Junhui, I've gotta know," I whispered when he said nothing.

"He's a huli jing, Minghao."


	4. my heart is hotter than day, just like now, for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, pain makes you do terrible things. Sometimes, you need to figure out how to live is someone telling you to act.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is long as fuck, it's sad, and it's fluffy as all hell. In other words, it's a roller coaster

"Say that again," I told him. Junhui looked at me, shocked.

"What," he asked, sounding astonished.

"I told you to tell me again what he is. Because I know I didn't just hear you say he was a huli jing," I spat. Junhui's eyes started watering.

"Minghao, please. This is why I didn't want to tell you," Junhui whimpered the words, his voice higher than usual.

"You didn't want to tell me because I know what they are, Junhui, I _know_ what they do. They trick and seduce and they steal your breath and they take your life, and you just got hurt by one. They can be good, but this one? No, I don't think so. How could you just go wandering into his domain like that, Junhui, you ought to know as well as I that huli jing are not to be messed with! How could you be so foolish, he could've- he almost did kill you! I- I can't be around you right now, this is, it's just too much," I said, backing away from him and trying to shift. It wasn't working well.

"Minghao, please don't leave! We can talk about this, just stay here," he implored, walking towards me. I held my hands out.

"No, Junhui, I can't right now. I just can't, I need- I don't know, but I can't be here right now," I said, walking farther away. I laughed humorlessly. "How do I even know you're really Junhui, huh? You could be the huli jing, you could've killed him and taken his place to try and take my energy. Well, joke's on you, fucker, my energy is an unstable bitch and you're not getting anywhere with it."

Finally, faster than I'd have liked, I shifted. I beat my wings against the ground for a few moments, until I hopped up into the air and took off, flying higher, farther away from the village. I flew until I felt my wings start to shake and wrapped around a thick branch high up in an old tree just before I shifted back against my will. I cursed and yelled into the open air, angry about so many things. Angry I couldn't even stay in one form for as long as I wanted, upset that Junhui had put himself into such danger by walking into the den of a huli jing, one cursed and in pain no less. Such a situation was bound to end in disaster, for even the most good-natured huli jing would've gone mad feeling as much pain as this one was, if Junhui was right.

For a while, I just leaned against the tree and thought over everything I knew of the huli jing, of all the different words used to refer to them and the things they could do. China, Korea, and Japan all had their own version of the fox spirit. China's was the huli jing, able to tip either way based upon their own nature. They could live off the essence of nature or humans, and like the other two versions, could shift their form into that of a human. They were creatures of yin that devoured yang energy. They feared dogs, as they all did, and would run from them. They created glamours, spoke as humans did, could disappear and reappear or dissolve into mist. They were immortal, spoke with Heaven, invaded dreams and caused sickness or death. But they also granted wealth and wisdom, healing and prosperity. The _laohu_ were long-lived foxes who had yet to become huli jing. _Hujing_ was an older term for them, and the _huxian_ were the ones who had become transcendental, immortal. There were the _jiuwei hu_ , the nine-tailed foxes, the oldest and most magical. The older they got, the more powerful they were.

Korea had the kumiho, all evil and nine-tailed, all seducers that stole human energy. They actually ate their victims, their livers and hearts. Foxes had to live for a thousand years before they could become a kumiho, and they could become human by walking several paths. Most are met in the form of beautiful young women, though there was a single account in which the kumiho took the form of a young man, found in _The Maiden who Discovered a Kumiho through a Chinese Poem_. Kumiho used to occasionally help humans, but no more. They sometimes lived in graveyards so they could feast on the souls of the dead.

The fox spirit of Japan was the kitsune. The foxes that became white or gold when they gained their ninth tail, a feat achieved through the possession of many years, much wisdom and power. They were killed by cutting off their tails, as one was the true source of their power, the main tail. They could shift into humans after 100 years, and there were different kinds of kitsune. The zenko were benevolent, the yako malevolent. Ninko were invisible, only perceivable when they were possessing humans. The ones who had achieved nine tails could see and hear anything happening in the world, whenever they wished. The Japanese foxes could be controlled if you got ahold of their star ball, the gold-white ball that contained their life force. They hated being caged, and would kill you if you took their freedom from them. They possessed, flew, spewed lightning or fire from their mouths and their tails, could create hyper-realistic illusions. Some could even bend time and space, drive people made, take the form of fantastic shapes such as a second moon in the sky. They kept their promises and repaid favors, attached themselves to households and people like leeches.

Of all the three fox spirits, the huli jing were the most treacherous, because there was no guarantee on what you were getting, no noticeable difference in the forms of the benevolent ones and the malevolent ones. No difference between good and evil. How Junhui had managed to find himself facing the worst of them, I had no idea. But I had a feeling he wasn't going to leave it alone. He would go back, and he'd get killed this time. As I flew back towards the village, I prayed that he had not gotten himself tangled up with a jiuwei hu. I prayed it was young, young enough that it was only considered a laohu. I prayed the Junhui was still in the village.

It was utterly dark when I arrived back in the village, shifting a few feet above the ground and falling with a surprised shout. I laid there for a half a second before standing and flexing my wings, making sure they weren't broken. When I was sure they were okay, I looked around for any sign of Junhui. He wasn't outside. I walked around the village, hands in my pockets, kicking rocks as I searched for his scent. It wasn't here, and his horse was gone. I stood in the road, just beyond the last house on the outskirts of the village. This was where he'd rode into the village on his white stallion, bleeding and in pain. The faint smell of his trail lead away, towards the forest. I didn't know if it was the forest or one of the ones beyond, but he'd gone back. He'd tried to go help the huli jing again. I could do nothing more than follow and hope I wasn't too late.

So I followed the trail of his scent, shifting again so I could go faster. I didn't know how long ago he'd left, and my other nose smelled better anyways. I flew and flew, along the twisting road, deep into the trees. I'd have never been able to see with my human eyes, the darkness was so complete. And then the horse appeared in my line of sight, tied to a tree in a spot of moonlight, and I stuttered to a stop and shifted again. I stared at the horse before looking off into the trees on my right. I could smell the mint of him, and I followed it anxiously. Somehow, it got even darker, though I already could not see my own hand in front of my face. His smell grew stronger, and I called his name. I could hear crying.

I started running when the smell of blood invaded my nose, thick and strong in the dead air. The only sounds were those of whoever was crying, along with ragged breathing. I broke into an open clearing, surprised by the death apparent everywhere. Trees were bare of their leaves and rotting. The grass was dry and brown. The only living things in the clearing were a young, crying man, a bloody body lit with a single ray of moonlight, and myself.

"Junhui," I whimpered, recognizing the witch despite all the blood. It was spattered across his face, welling up from light scratches on his cheek, pouring out of deeper ones in his abdomen. I covered my mouth and fell to my knees, gasping in shock. "Junhui, no." I crawled over to him and stroked his hair, ignoring the boy in front of me. He looked about 20 or so, but his demeanor was that of a child terrified of something bad they'd just done. "Junhui, I told you. I told you!" I was shouting, and sobbing and the boy fell backwards in shock. He stared at me with wide, wet eyes that would be described as kind if there were not dropping tears of anguish down his face. His heart-shaped lips were parted in shock and fear. His hair was ash grey, and his skin sparkled in the slight moonlight. His eyes were the most tragic part of him. They were grey with a slight tint of blue, beautiful but filled with horror and anguish and regret and so much pain. His chest heaved as he stared at me, and I got angry.

"You. It's your fault. You hurt him the first time and you- somehow you, you forced him into coming back, you- you're- do you realize what you're doing to him?! You're hurting him, he's dying and I know you can- you aren't a kumiho or a kitsune, you can heal him, you can fix this, but you aren't! You're just letting him die," I screamed. "Why can't you heal him, he just wanted to help you!" I was crying harder now, bent over his body as I curled in on myself.

"He smells like evil," the boy whimpered, so quiet I could barely hear it. I lifted my face and glared at him from under my soaked lashes.

"That's bullshit," I ground out. "He smells like magic. I know it seems like it, but magic isn't evil. The men who use it choose whether it's for good or evil. Just like you. Your kind aren't strictly one or the other. Your own nature determines whether you are good or evil. I think you're right on the tipping point, which is why you're so scared and confused, because you're doing bad things and you like doing them at the same time you hate doing them. You can't decide which one you want to be, and it's tearing you apart like being cursed has done."

The boy stared at me, shock coloring his eyes. Tears fell silently from his eyes. His mouth opened and closed several times as he struggled to find words. When he couldn't, he closed his mouth and looked at me helplessly.

"This is it," I told him. "What you do now determines what you will be. You either heal him or you let him die. You heal him and define yourself as a force of kindness and mercy, or you let him die and damn yourself to darkness. I know what choice I'd make, but I can't decide for you. I won't decide for you. This is on you, in every sense of the phrase."

And still he stared, fright and fear in his eyes. He looked like a man drowning, grasping for anything to keep him afloat. His gaze flickered to the dying man between us, and mine followed. I stared at Junhui, bloody, gasping for air, eyes fluttering. He was probably only barely conscious. He stared at the blood on Junhui's body, no longer flowing out quite so fast. He turned his gaze to his own hands, to the vermillion coating them like paint, to the streaks and smears of red over the nails and down his palms and the backs of his hands. He lowered them towards Junhui's body, and I shot a hand out to wrap around his wrist.

"What are you doing," I asked quietly. He swallowed thickly.

"I'm fixing it. I'm making him better," he responded, his voice swimming with fear and uncertainty. I let go of his hand and he placed both of them over the scratches over Junhui's ribs and stomach. He grimaced at the blood under his hands but closed his eyes regardless. Moments later, his hands lit up. His bare skin began to sparkle more brilliantly, getting brighter and more intense. His eyes poured out light that was equally bright, running down his cheeks and pooling like mist in the clearing. It hit the trees and went no further, washing back towards us like a gentle wave. The clearing filled with the thick, bright mist that sparkled like it contained thousands of miniscule diamonds. I could see no farther than an inch in front of my face, even though I knew Junhui and the boy were right in front of me. I waited for it to end, for the mist to dissolve away into nothingness or back into the boy's body.

It was the second that happened, I saw as the mist began to clear. It dimmed as it disappeared, until I could see the boy sitting back on his heels as he let it curl into him. His skin was dimming too, not so bright and sparkly anymore. The clearer the air became, the more easily I saw the grey ears nestled among his hair, the nine thick-furred, white-tipped grey tails waving behind him. He was a jiuwei hu after all, one who'd never figured himself out. One who'd never bothered to until his world was turned upside down and he was shouted at by a very distressed dracon.

Junhui was no longer lying on the ground. He was standing behind the boy, his hand running lightly through his hair. When the air was completely mist free, the boy opened his eyes. They were still the same mostly grey-blue, but now they sparkled like his skin. He stared at me before breaking into a giddy smile. He launched himself at me, hissing with what seemed to be pain as he did, but he hugged me nonetheless, as tight as he could.

"Thank you," he murmured, his voice laced with joy so strong it was almost ecstasy. I hugged him back, though not as tightly.

"Thank you for healing him. I'd have killed you if you hadn't," I murmured back. He giggled and pulled back, sitting on his heels again with his knees pressed into the ground. He turned to look at Junhui over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I took my pain and confusion out on you. I almost killed you twice. I'm so sorry, it was never my intention, I just- I didn't know what to do with myself. I didn't understand, and then when I did, I was so angry, and I just didn't know how to cope," the huli jing said. Junhui smiled kindly.

"That's just fine. You figured yourself out eventually, even if the cost was my near death and Minghao's peace of mind," the witch said. I huffed and laid back on the brittle grass, suddenly very tired. Junhui noticed, because of course he always noticed, and walked over, grabbing my hands and pulling me up while I groaned and whined. "Now, Minghao, it's not the time for that."

"It's never the time for my curse to come into play but that's never stopped it before huh," I muttered bitterly. I got cranky when I was sleepy.

"Minghao, behave. We've got to talk to the huli jing," he said. I grunted and forced my eyes open, leveling the insistent witch with an unamused glare.

"Go on then. Make him talk. You were so adept at that the last two times, right," I muttered, feeling very sarcastic and passive-aggressive. He rolled his eyes and sat on the other side of the other hybrid and I.

"Don't mind Minghao, he's just very tired right now. It's not his fault really, it just happens sometimes. My name is Wen Junhui. I'm a witch, with an affinity for energy. Mostly the energy in living things, like their movement and emotions," he said. I stared at him.

"Not sure emotions count as energy," I muttered. He laughed.

"Of course they are. They're little more than waves of energy if you view them the right way," he said, sounding very amused. I glared at him for a moment before huffing and looking away, back at the huli jing.

"Whatever. I'm Xu Minghao. If you couldn't tell, I'm a hybrid too. Amphiptere, cursed with the oh-so-lovely inability to control my emotions and body at any given time of day," I told him. He nodded, looking curious.

"Is your tiredness a result of your curse," he asked. I nodded, pursing my lips in annoyance. "I see. I- well my name-" He was faltering, for what reason I didn't know. "I-I should not tell you, I think. The men who cursed me made it so that anyone who knew my name could make me do what they wanted, and it hurts when I disobey. And, they also made it so that it just hurts anytime I move. So, I shouldn't tell you my name." I stared for a moment, rolling the idea of it around in my head. It sounded terrible. He'd never be able to trust anyone with his name unless he got another.

"Joshua Hong," I said. He stared at me in shock.

"I- Excuse me," he asked, sounding a bit affronted.

"It's a different name. Not your true one. If you say that's your name, and never tell anyone that it's not your real name, they'll never have a reason to ask what your real name is," I explained. He relaxed, and switched his gaze to the dirt, seeming to think before smiling.

"Thank you, Minghao. I like it. Joshua Hong. That'd be Joshua, right," he asked curiously. I nodded. He smiled wider and leaned over to give me a short, tight hug.

"Joshua, I also think if anyone ever asks, you shouldn't tell them you're a multi-curse. Just tell people you feel pain when you move. Then, they'll never know Joshua Hong isn't your name, because you'll never give them any hint as to otherwise," Junhui said. Joshua nodded, still smiling. His smiles crinkled up his eyes too, even the smallest ones, and it was really pretty.

"Minghao, how did you two meet," Joshua asked suddenly. I dropped my gaze and fiddled with my fingers. Junhui reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing lightly until I looked at him.

"It's okay, Hao, you don't have to talk about it if you'd rather not," he said quietly. I shook my head.

"No, it's okay," I said. I took a deep breath and looked up at the boy. He looked more like a man now, less unsure of himself. It was amazing how a little confidence could make you seem more mature.

"Is it bad," the huli jing asked quietly. The furry ears on his head twitched, as if in curiosity.

"Yes, it is. The men who cursed me put a metal collar on my neck, with a chain attached so they could keep ahold of me. I killed them. The first time I shifted into a human, it came with me, only it got bigger. It stayed that size every time I turned human after. Our human forms grow very fast, y'know, and the village that took me in realized that. We looked for someone who could get it off, a witch who wouldn't cheat us or hurt us," I started quietly. Joshua smiled faintly, nodded at Junhui.

"Was it him," he asked. I shook my head.

"No. We didn't find anyone, and we gave up. I tried to stay an amphiptere as much as possible, because I didn't grow so fast like that. My curse, unfortunately, made it impossible to stay in one form for as long as I wanted. The collar grew tighter as I grew bigger, and I started having trouble breathing. I'd wake up unable to breathe, and I'd struggle and try to call for help and try to shift back. I always shifted back though, back into an amphiptere. And then one day, a man rode in on a white stallion. He had chestnut hair and amber eyes, and he smelled like mint and magic. I got a big whiff of it and it set me off, paralyzed me and angered me. And then I shifted, and I could move, and I was scared. I was trying to pull it away so I could breathe but it wasn't working. I was too big, and the collar was too small, and I was dying. Everything faded out. I couldn't see or hear or feel anything. I could only smell this overwhelming scent of mint. And then something amazing happened. I could breathe again, could feel hands pounding on my back. Junhui saved my life where no other would, and for that I owe him the world," I said quietly. Joshua stayed silent for a while, before pulling me into a hug and murmuring quiet words to me.

"That sounds like it must have been terrifying. I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said, his voice sad. He pulled back and kept me at arms' length, taking in the features of my face. He shuffled closer, and over his shoulder I could see his tails waving back and forth like a cat's, something that only happened in the mythical foxes of Asian lore. Normal foxes couldn't move their tails in such a manner. He gently touched the little scales spattered over my nose and cheeks, touching each and everyone with a strange reverence, almost seeming to count them. He dragged his long nails over the tracks of my wire-thin scars, careful so as not to break the skin. He traced them down my cheeks, over my jawline and onto my neck, down towards my collarbones and shoulders.

"What are these," he asked quietly. I bit my lip and turned away from him, knocking his hand away.

"Scars. From the net they used to catch me. It pulled tighter every time I moved," I said, pulling my knees up to my chest and resting my chin on them as I wrapped my arms around my legs to keep them in place.

"You think they make you ugly, or weak. You hate them." It wasn't a question the way he said it.

"I was foolish and I flew over an open field. I was asking for it, really. They remind me of how I failed to do the one thing my kind always does. Stay hidden," I whispered. I rocked slightly. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. Joshua moved closer, sitting naked in the dirt on my left just so he could get a look at my face. I turned away from him, but he used a gentle finger to pull my face back towards him. He frowned at the tears running down my face.

"Minghao, if you were foolish then so was I. I trusted men who smelled off, let them close to my domain, let them speak because I was curious about what they were saying. They spoke Korean, not Chinese, and by the time I adjusted to thinking in Korean, they'd cursed me. They named me and tried to force me into giving them immortality and wealth. They weren't born witches. They had a demon with them, a weak one that couldn't grant what they wanted. I let my curiosity get the best of me and I now suffer for it. You killed the men who cursed you same as me. The difference between us is that your scars show how strong you are. You killed them and you went on living, trying to find a place you _could_ live. You found a village and a witch, people who care for you and helped you through everything that came after. Me, I stayed here, terrified of the mere bodies of the men I'd killed even though they ruined me. I couldn't come to terms with what had happened, and everytime I killed someone else, I got more scared and confused. I couldn't even get better by myself. You had to basically threaten me to get me to do what was right.

"The difference between us, Minghao, is that you learned how to live with your curse, or you seem to have done that, while I lived in fear and denial. Your scars do not make you ugly or weak. They make you beautiful to anyone who can see the truth behind them. They should remind you of the time you were brave enough to escape the hell they forced upon you," he said, sounding like he was looking at a god. "You are beautiful, Minghao, you are beautiful and strong in every sense of the words."

And he placed a light kiss on my lips, smiling coyly. I covered my mouth and shook my head.

"Not every sense. I can't fly with Junhui. I'm not strong enough to pick him up and fly," I said, voice oddly monotone. Joshua laughed, a delicate sound like bells ringing.

"Physical strength is relative. I couldn't pick him up in my other form either," Joshua said, laughing as if I'd told the funniest joke in the world. I started laughing with him, and Junhui just watched with a fond smile on his face.

"Hey, Junhui?"

"Yes, Joshua?"

"Can I maybe get some clothes? It's a little chilly."

"Oh."


	5. the way to you becomes flowery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life seemed to be settling down, and best of all it was happening with Junhui and Joshua.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S THE END also btw I dont have anymore form this series done,, but I have other things in the works!! I love this fic so much

We all went back to the village, Joshua and Junhui on the stallion. I was going to fly back, but I found my wings trembling when I shifted. Joshua took it in stride and wrapped me around his neck and shoulders. I was grateful, because all the shade was cooler than I'd have liked and Joshua was very warm. The ride passed faster than it had when I'd flown off to find Junhui, and soon we were stopping to let Junhui wrap me around his neck so Joshua could change into his fox form. We still hadn't gotten any clothes for him, since Junhui said he wanted to take us both to his house so he could take care of us.

Joshua was beautiful even as a fox. His fur was the same thick, soft ashy grey, and it sparkled when he moved. Nine tails wavered in the air, and his grey-blue eyes shimmered as he took in everything around us. I had the distinct feeling that he'd never been very far outside his domain. He was large, but delicate at the same time, very slim despite all his fur. I realized that might not have been a good thing. 

Junhui put the huli jing onto the stallion's back, so he could see farther, and he lead the horse into the village. They were waiting at the edge for us with a few boxes. I could smell my own scent seeping out of them. I wondered what they were doing with boxes of my things, and slid down Junhui's body to shift on the ground. As I walked closer, I noticed that they were staring at Joshua; his tails were waving back and forth in obvious curiosity. 

"What's going on," I asked, very confused. Some of the villagers started crying, and they came forward to hug me. 

"We are sorry, Minghao, but it's time you leave. It was an honor to have you here with us, to raise you and see you grow. But, Junhui's ready for you, and we know you wouldn't be around a huli jing if it were dangerous, but there's always the chance with them. We can't take it, not when we have so many children. Goodbye, dear Minghao," said the village elder. I nodded. 

"Goodbye, everyone. Thank you for having me and helping me. I'd be dead without you all. I'll come back and visit," I said, hopeful and sad. The villagers looked grave for the moment before I turned away. 

"It's better that you don't," they said. I stopped, and I knew I should've been sad or angry, but in that moment I was just overjoyed. I knew it was my curse as I laughed and smiled, and as tears fell down my face, I knew they were from the slightest tinge of sadness I felt trying to push through my cloud of joy. I took Junhui's hand as he pulled me up onto the horse and wrapped my arms around him as he turned the horse and rode off. I didn't see what he did with the box, but it was gone when I glanced back. I buried my face in his back as we rode, and let my fingers tangle lightly in Joshua's fur. He leaned back into my hand and I pet him. It was nice to touch something so soft.

Junhui must've cast a spell, because one second I was nodding off and the next we were arriving at a cottage surrounded by trees. I thought I could see a pond through the spaces between trunks. It looked very cozy and welcoming as I slid off the horse. I simply lay in the lush grass and stared at the house sideways. I heard Joshua's laugh ring out, and I smiled a bit, even if he was laughing at my expense. I felt gentle hands on me, and it took me a second to realize that the hands pulling me up were Joshua's. Junhui was watching, his horse having wandered off to graze. He was smiling softly again. 

"Come on guys, let's go get Josh some clothes. I can give you the grand tour afterwards," Junhui said, his amber eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. I leaned on Joshua and let him walk me towards the house. My head lolled onto his shoulder, and I was sure I was drooling on him since I couldn't close my mouth, but if I was he didn't seem to mind. He smelled really nice, like the forest. 

I was put in a chair while Junhui went to rummage, and Joshua sat staring at me with his big eyes. I stared back, because it was all I could really do anyways, while he held my hand and ran his thumb over the back of my hand. It was soothing, and soon my muscles began to unlock, and I could move them. My hands and feet came first, and I wiggled my fingers and toes before grabbing his hand tighter. 

"Still hurts, doesn't it," I asked with a lot of difficulty. He cocked his head to the side. "Moving."

"Oh. Yes, it does. It's not all that bad, just a bit bothersome," he said, glancing away. I sighed. 

"Don't lie to us, Shua. We won't be able to help you if you lie. We will never hurt you, not if we can stop it," I huffed out. He frowned. 

"You've only just met me. Your village didn't like me, and they never even saw me human. You don't know whether you'll decide you can't stand me too. I'm dangerous, afterall," he said mournfully. I frowned and shook my head. 

"Joshua, listen, please. I'm dangerous, too, but that didn't stop Junhui or the village from helping you. It's just, well, with you they- they decided they'd had too much, I guess. They're normal people that led ordinary lives before I showed up, and then they got traumatized by watching some kid choke all the time because he couldn't control himself. I didn't like you at first because you hurt Junhui, and I wasn't sure what kind of a person you were. But you saved him. I know you're a good person. It might be hard for a while, but you are a good person. I don't tire of good people," I said, hoping the conviction in my voice was enough to convince him he was worth our concern. 

"Shua-yah, please believe us. We won't turn our backs on you, not even if you do something bad. We're all in this together now. We need to support each other. We don't have anyone else. Trust us so we can trust you too," Junhui said softly. The huli jing glanced between us, the apprehension in his eyes dissolving, being replaced by something bright and warm. I spotted the beginnings of a smile on his face and sluggishly brushed tears from his cheeks. He cried for a bit, letting Junhui help him into some clothes he'd brought out. Underwear and black slacks a size too big, a loose red tunic. Joshua's tails spilled from the hem of the garment like a river of grey, soft and pretty. His skin shimmered silver in the light that trailed in from the half-curtained windows. His hair was a little messy from bringing the less than coarse fabric over his head, his ears twitching towards small noises. 

"Okay. Okay. I- I suppose that it does hurt, a bit more than a little, to move. But, there's really not anything you can do, is there? Even just talking like this, admitting I'm hurting, causes more pain. It's- honestly, it's really annoying, but I can't get used to it either," he huffed, visibly becoming agitated. His eyes began to water up again, though he'd stopped crying minutes ago. "Maybe someday I won't notice it anymore, but right now, I really just- I wish it would go away!" I wrapped him in a hug, rubbing his back gently. I pulled him down into my lap awkwardly, because he was so much bigger than me. I'd catch up soon. 

"It's going to be okay. Junhui is very smart. I'm sure he'll find something, and even if he doesn't, we'll be here for you. If it gets too much, we'll be here, and you can cry as much as you want, we won't judge you or anything. You can just come to us and we'll do our best to help," I comforted, softly smiling up at him. I was happy when he didn't cry. He nodded, wincing, and decided to play with my hair. I almost told him that he didn't have to because I knew it would be hurting him, but he knew that and he was doing it anyways. It must have made him feel better in some way. 

Junhui told us to hang out in the large, open room while he unpacked my boxes. He'd walk us around after he'd gotten all our rooms situated. We stayed there for a while, Joshua eventually deciding to shift because there was less of him to hurt that way. I was apparently jealous, subconsciously, because I also shifted without wanting to. Joshua played hide and seek with me, nudging me into a hidden place until I got the gist and found another one. He closed his eyes and sat, probably counting in his head while I moved farther away. I curled up under a bookcase and waited for Joshua to come after me. Usually, I'd be scared of accidentally shifting while under the bookcase, but this time, I somehow knew that it wouldn't happen. I'd be fine for as long as Joshua and I were playing hide and seek. It must have been some sort of reaction to Joshua and his excitement to play, along with my desire to get closer to him.

It took him longer to find me than I expected, and then I closed my eyes and his paws pattered away to find a place to hide. I actively counted in my head, ignoring all clues to his hiding place. After counting to about twenty-seven slowly, I uncurled myself and went searching. I did my best to avoid scenting him as well, but I soon realized it wouldn't have helped from this low anyways, because his scent trails were all twisted and muddled. He must have crossed the room several times. I looked in corners and behind chairs, trying to find places I thought he was likely to be in. It was interesting to play the game with someone I didn't know well, because I didn't know what types of places he usually went for. 

Eventually I found him huddled up behind a large grandfather clock. I wrapped around him lightly, a bit cold, and he let me stay there. We cuddled behind the clock, Joshua sticking his tails out into the open so Junhui wouldn't worry for us. I was tempted to fall asleep, but I simply couldn't. I was unsure whether it was because I wasn't really tired or if it was my proximity to the huli jing triggering a signal in my body that said, "Stay awake and as close to him as you can." I figured maybe it was both. 

Junhui showed us around the house once he found us, laughing and smiling down at us fondly. It was small, though larger than the one I'd stayed in back at the village. He'd decorated a room with my things, though I told him rather blandly that I'd probably end up in his room most often, Joshua voicing his agreement. Junhui made a joke about us ganging up on him, and we all laughed. Joshua kissed the both of us on our cheeks before shifting and scampering off. I decided I was going to like living here with the two of them very much.

**Author's Note:**

> If you have questions you can find me under @catfacekathryn on twitter and curiouscat!


End file.
